I’ve been an at-home parent for six years now. That’s six summers. Eighteen summer months. Five hundred and forty summer days…give or take a few. Okay, enough of that. Each and every summer over the past six has seen some form of Camp Daddy — an overnight, freestyle, summer camp reserved for two lucky girls who enjoy unlimited imaginative play, a bit of 100-level science experimentation, numerous field trips, and an open door to a backyard full of boredom-buster activities like Nerf Rebelle darts, Zing arrows, a T-Ball stand and a bucket of Wiffle balls, jungle gym, and a lot more. This year, when Camp Daddy returns anew, it will be more of the same but that lucky pair of girls will also be given a week off to invent the best kid’s summer ever by attending an actual day camp focusing on creativity and innovation, problem-solving and invention: Camp Invention.

But why not a sports camp, Jeff? You love sports. You guys, you know me so well. Yes, I adore sport for the beauty of movement, the nuance of teamplay, and the failure/success that hangs in the balance, but organized sport leagues and teams and tournaments and instructional sessions are available year-round in our surrounding communities as well as in our backyard, with me. Hands-on science and upcycling and re-engineering and working with gears and gadgets, however, that kind of brilliant scenario for kids is far less abundant and I simply don’t have the capacity to facilitate all of that on my own here. Hey, it is good to know and accept your limitations, and turn to the experts.

Camp Invention is a nationwide, week-long day camp for kids entering grades 1-6 that will have those kids working on hands-on science projects and learning about technology, engineering, math and more. There’s building, deconstructing, problem-solving, team-building, and fun, and it is happening ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ALL SUMMER LONG. The camps are lead by local certified instructors in a terrific 1:8 staff to camper ratio setting. Find your closest location, week, and curriculum now…a curriculum developed in coordination with National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees and United States Patent and Trademark Office. See, experts!

There’s been a fair bit of scuttlebutt in the news lately about leaning in, banning words, and empowering girls. That’s all well and good but those shareable social media memes and fiery Facebook comments lead to trace amounts of betterment for you, your girls, and the world at large. It’s the newest form of slacktivism — armchair outrage with next to no follow through once the vitriol has been anonymously pounded into a keyboard. But you, me and the rest of us can do more. We can put our money where our well-intentioned outrage is and take a look at this summer camp designed to empower girls and boys, together, and to have them walking away with equal amounts of smiles, knowledge, and self-confidence.

Camp Invention stands in stark contrast to all of the online non-action by providing a real-life solution, a massive step in the right direction for girls and boys alike. At Camp Invention, kids of both genders are given equal latitude to explore their abundant curiosity about the world and how it works. I am beyond thrilled to have my girls registered for a week and honored to be working with the camp all summer long, because mind-expanding STEM fun-education during the summer simply doesn’t get any better than Camp Invention. And because the week-long sessions are competitively priced, you too can easily start with one week this summer and watch as those glass ceilings begin to shatter above our daughters’ brilliant heads.

*Families that register 3 or more siblings will receive $50 off, per child!*

My bright, curious daughters will be attending Camp Invention later this summer and they cannot wait for all the STEM fun they’ll have over the course of the five days. More on their journey in the next installment PLUS a Camp Invention registration giveaway, coming soon!

Camp Invention has partnered with the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) and the United States Patent Office (USPTO) to have NIHF Inductees and USPTO Executives help drive the innovative curriculum and hands-on activities for the annual programing. Camp Invention has over 20 years of experience in children’s summer education and held 1,200 camps serving 77,000 children in 2013.

*I am proud to be an official ambassador for Camp Invention this summer. I am being compensated for my time and my girls will be attending a week of camp this summer. All opinions expressed above are honest and unbiased, as always.